AN: This is the first fiction I ever completed. I wrote it over a year
ago just after Dark Angel was canceled. I though I would repost it with
some updates, reflecting my changing views of DA and of Logan and Max.
It's nothing major just tweaking. I hope you like it.
The Heart of All Things
Logan awakened to the sound of birds singing. He smiled, thinking how much he enjoyed that sound. He looked over at his sleeping wife and remembered a song from his childhood: I didn't think I would find you perfect in so many ways. He thought. Even after being married for forty years, she was still the most beautiful woman he had every seen. Grinning, he reached over and gently touched the end of her nose. Max reached up and brushed her nose, then snuggled deeper into the down comforter with a contented "Muph." Logan pushed himself up in the bed and contemplated Max. At sixty- eight she was still as perfect as the day she broke into his apartment and stole his heart--the one thing she had never returned. She was frailer; as the years passed, the genetic engineering that made her perfect had begun to take its' toll on her. She was still Max, though, and would kick his ass if he let her sleep. He bent over and, as he had done every day for forty years, kissed Max first on the forehead, then on the cheek, and finally on the lips. "Max, wake up, sweetheart. We're going to have visitors today."
"I was awake." Max's voice in the morning had a husky tone Logan loved. "I was just thinking," she said. Max opened her eyes and looked at her husband. "You are still as beautiful as the day I met you. Age suits you." She stretched carefully and sat up in the bed and smiled her dazzling smile at Logan.
Logan his beautiful smile intact and his eyes crinkled at the corners as he returned, "You too." They looked at each other sharing a lifetime of memories. Logan thought, A thousand years is not long enough to spend with you Max.
Max watched as Logan carefully maneuvered himself into a sitting position. He had fought a long time, but finally age and decreasing strength forced him to have a trapeze installed over the bed so he could help himself get up, the weakness in his legs always threatening to betray him. The wheelchair was there if he needed it, but he ignored as much as he could. As always, he refused to allow Max to help him as he slowly walked to the bathroom. Stubborn, she thought. Age may have decreased his strength but not his will. When did his hair get so white, I wonder? She smiled as she watched her husband do his morning routine. It was Monday, so that meant he would shave. Max loved to watch him putter about in the morning. She had to watch him today of all days. Max sat up and reached over to grab her cane. God, I hate this thing, she thought. As she got out of bed, she reached down and felt the scar on her left hip. I never used to scar. Hell, I never broke a hip before either. She slowly stood up, making sure her feet were planted firmly on the floor. She turned and walked carefully to the bathroom, where she watched her husband take the old brush and shaving soap and begin to lather up his face. After he finished shaving and while he was brushing his teeth, Max mischievously went to the shower and turned it on. As Logan turned toward her, she began to strip off the tee shirt she always slept in. Even at sixty-eight, she was still firm, maybe a few sags, but still beautiful.
Logan smiled delightedly. "Are you trying to seduce me?" he asked, his blue eyes lighting up as only Max could make them.
"Damn straight. You want to take a shower?" Max was in the mood to play.
Logan said, "Come here, you." He walked toward Max and carefully pulled her into a kiss. Together they walked into the shower, and soon after, laughter and giggles followed.
"Logan, hurry up! Ellie and Zack will be here soon and you're fixing us breakfast," Max called from the kitchen. Forty years of being married and I still can't boil water, she thought ruefully.
Logan ambled into the kitchen. He began to take various cooking utensils out of the lower cabinets. "How do blueberry pancakes, eggs, bacon, fresh fruit, and juice sound?" he asked.
"Mummmmmm. Sounds wonderful. Any coffee with that, sir?" Max looked on as Logan effortlessly began to prepare breakfast.
"Coffee? I think I just might be able to arrange that." Logan grinned over at Max. He walked to the kitchen door and pushed a button. He heard the door unlock and he wheeled out onto the porch of the cabin that had been their home and gentle prison for the last ten years. "Hey Tom, were you able to get that coffee I asked for?" Logan called.
Thomas McGuire came out of the very unobtrusive guardhouse that looked like a garage. He was a young man, only twenty-six, and this was his first assignment. He always wondered why the government never allowed anyone to stay with this assignment for more than a year. They were just an old couple placed in prison, after all. How dangerous could they be? It's not even a real prison; this place had belonged to the Cale family. After being here for 6 months, he knew: everyone who came in contact with this couple fell under their spell. When he had been here a year and was preparing to be reassigned, he was asked if he would stay on for another six months. He jumped at the chance. He loved talking to Logan and Max, hearing about things before the U.S. government finally got complete control of the country. Well, except for the Republic of Texas. He smiled at the thought.
"Sure, Mr. Cale, I got just what you wanted, Jamaican Blue Mountain." He walked toward the porch and handed Logan a small bag. The aroma was wonderful. "Mr. Cale, may I ask you a question?" he asked, slightly unsure of what he wanted to say.
Logan looked at him leaned on the porch rail and said, "Sure, but please, I told you to call me Logan."
Thomas smiled. "It wouldn't be respectful, sir." He paused and then continued. "Why do you sometimes call Jimmy and me the Molly Maguires?" Jimmy Thompson was the night guard and usually came on duty about six, but would be here early today. Thomas' smile faltered as he looked at the older man.
Logan smiled broadly. "Tom, I told you; you need to look it up. Reading is good for the soul, you know. If I tell you, it won't mean as much and you won't learn it as well."
"Yeah, but Mr. Cale, you know those books are restricted now. You need to have special clearance to read early American history."
Logan's smile faded, and he looked out past the guardhouse into the morning. When did we lose the battle? When did safety come to mean more than knowledge? When did food become more important than freedom? He looked back at the younger man, and his smile was bittersweet. "Thomas, if you really want to know, you, will seek to learn what this country was before the Pulse. It won't be easy; true freedom never is. I will tell you Molly Maguires saw an injustice and dealt with it in the only way they could. The rest you will have to find yourself. You know, Tom, I'm freer in this prison than you have ever been in your entire life." Logan turned and walked back into the house, leaving Thomas to his thoughts.
A few minutes later, a car rolled up to the guardhouse. It was a new SUV, made with the latest technology, hydrogen power, non-polluting. Cale Industries made the chip that drove the motor. Tom recognized the occupants and let them park. Olivia Max Daniels and Zachary Logan Daniels got out of the car.
Tom stopped them and said, "Are you carrying any contraband materials? You know I have to ask, don't you, Mrs. Daniels?"
"Of course, Tom, I understand. It's your job." Ollie Daniels was a beautiful woman of 35. She got the best of both of her parents. She wasn't very tall; she had the sandy brown hair and smile of Logan, and the intense sloe-eyed beauty of Max. She was also smarter, stronger, and faster than most people. That, however, was something she didn't want the world to know. Zack, her son, looked more like his grandfather. He was a tall, athletic thirteen-year-old. He had Logan's eyes and smile. He also had something special from his grandmother, besides her strength, he had her attitude. He was the apple of his grandparents' eye.
Ollie wished Mike could have been here with her. He had so loved his in- laws. She needed his strength right now. Mike had been dead for eleven years and she still missed him every day. We could have had the kind of love my parents have, she thought.
They walked to the cabin door, and it opened automatically. They heard laughter coming from the kitchen and moved in that direction.
"Hey, Mom, Dad. We're here," Ollie said as she walked into the kitchen. She smiled at her parents, but there was a tremble to her lower lip as she spoke. She watched her parents together and marveled at the serenity emanating from them. They were together at the sink. Max had flour on her face; and Logan was laughing as he sliced fruit into a bowl. They turned and smiled delightedly at their daughter.
"Ollie, come here and give your dad a kiss," Logan commanded. "Where is Zack?"
Ollie walked around the kitchen table, hugged her father hard, and gave him a kiss. She then turned to her mother and hugged and kissed her as well. "Zack is in the living room. He's mad at you and Mom. I'm not mad; I just don't understand why." She couldn't help it. The tears began to course down her cheeks.
Max looked at her daughter. "Ollie, stop it now," she commanded. "We all agreed there would be no tears. This isn't easy for us either, but ten years ago we made a promise, us in exchange for the safety of the rest of the informant net. Max Guevera Cale has never reneged on a promise and I won't start now. It was a good choice. Bling and Molly got out safely with their kids and grandkids to Texas. Zane, Jondy, Krit and Syl all got safe passage as well. We were tired of fighting, Ollie. We wanted a small amount of peace in our lives before we died. We were getting old and no one stepped up and took on the fight. We made a deal and are seeing it through to the end."
Logan chimed in. "Ollie, honey, it wasn't just for the informant net. The car wreck that killed Mike wasn't an accident. You know that in your heart. Aunt Cindy didn't have a heart attack. They were closing in on us. We made a bargain. You and Zack would be safe and protected. Donald Lydecker kept his end of the bargain. We were never separated. We were allowed to come here to a place we both love, and, incidentally, where you were conceived, to live.
We've been taken care of well. The guards have been more like caretakers than guards. We were allowed to have our friends and family visit. We have enough freedom, Ollie. We remember the truth. You have to keep that memory alive, you and Zack."
"You are such liars, both of you. You have never given up the fight - you are just passing on the torch." Zack came into the kitchen, tears in his eyes. "How do you expect us to carry on without the knowing how? That whole story of Eyes Only and the transgenic war are fairy tales now. They never existed. "
"Every fairytale has a grain of truth, Zack. It's like Jack and the Beanstalk. Truth is like those beans, Zack. Watch it grow, and you will never know where it will take you. Now, kiss your grandmother and come over and help me slice the fruit for the compote." Logan looked up at his grandson, and with a twinkle in his eye said, "You know, there was a study done back when I was a kid that showed that a man who knew how to cook was a better lover." Logan smiled up at his grandson and turned to the stove. "Hand me that bowl."
" And if you're the least bit like your grandfather women will be eating out of your hand," Max teased. "Besides who is Kelly Miller?"
Zack flushed the way a thirteen-year-old will do and said, "I don't know what you're talking about." He began to smile through his tears.
"Sure you don't," teased Logan and then he and Max started laughing. Ollie and Zack joined in looking at his family.
The rest of the day was spent reminiscing. Much joy and laughter abounded. Logan and Max told outrageous stories about the people they knew. They looked over photo albums, smiled over good times, and spent the day basking in the love they shared with each other.
"Remember when we used to call you Rollie Pollie Olie?" Max asked.
"Yes, I so hated that!" Ollie exclaimed, "and Dad used to hide Rollie Pollie Olie toys all around the house to embarrass my boyfriends. He made me so mad."
"Hey, they were boys, looking to take my little girl away! Wasn't too keen on that happening. And besides Rollie Pollie Olie was a classic toy!" Logan grinned over at his daughter. He then turned to Max and smiled taking her hand in his.
Ollie looked at her parents and wondered at the love they shared. How could people love each other so much? They went through so much hell and heartache and never did their love falter. She smiled, and in that smile was all the joy and love she could muster.
About 5 p.m. Logan turned to Ollie and Zack. "It's time for you to go. They will be here soon, and we don't want you to have to be here."
"Tough shit, Granddad, I'm not going anywhere. Me and Mom are going to be here and if you don't like it, you can just try to kick my ass." Zack looked like Max at that moment. Logan didn't know what to say.
"Zack is right, Dad. We need to be here to bear witness to you. We won't leave."
Max laughed. "You belong to us, all right, stubborn and pig-headed, definitely Cales. Don't go then, but please promise us that you will remember us, not like tonight, old and frail. Remember us when we were younger and could kick your ass, Olivia Max Daniels and Zachary Logan Daniels."
They sat together in silence and love, holding each other's hands. At 6 p.m. they heard a car pull up. Max stood up and moved closer to Logan; she put her hand on his cheek and kissed him gently lovingly. He returned the kiss and took her hand squeezing it tightly. Ollie and Zack moved to stand next to their parents. The door opened and Thomas and James entered wearing starched dress uniforms, dark eyes full of sorrow. They were the government witnesses.
Donald Lydecker came into the room, followed closely by a man wearing a lab coat and carrying a briefcase. Lydecker was still hale and had an aura of authority even at over ninety. Gene therapy had its usefulness.
Max looked at him. "Deck," she said, "is it time already?"
"Max, Logan..." The words caught in his throat. He cleared and went on. "I have exhausted every available avenue. I can't do anything more." He looked at these two people with whom he shared so much history. "It's time. You're relics, and the government doesn't have time to deal with relics anymore. You are the last of the revolutionaries. The world has passed us by; no one remembers life before the Pulse and the government wants to keep it that way."
"Well, Deck, you always did have a way with the words," Logan said. He swallowed. Now that it was so close, he was afraid. He looked over at his beloved and saw that she was afraid as well. Neither was afraid of death, but of what came after. There was still so much love to give each other. "Deck, your promise? We will go together?"
"Have I ever broken a promise I made to either of you?" Deck's voice was gruff with emotion.
"No, you haven't. Let's get this bitch over with." Max gently moved herself into Logan's strong, encompassing arms.
Ollie came to her mother and father and gave them one last kiss, tears running freely down her face; strength be damned. "You are the best damn revolutionaries God ever created and I will always love you."
Zack came over next and, with tears in his eyes, kissed his grandparents. "I won't forget. I love you, Grampy and Grammy," he said, using words he hadn't used since he was five years old.
Together the child and grandchild of Logan and Max Cale stood at attention to bear witness to the passing of the two most important people in their lives. Tears were streamed freely down their faces
Logan looked at Lydecker. "We're ready," was all he said.
The man in the lab coat came over and gently placed EKG leads on Max and Logan's chests. He then placed a bandage and attached wires to each of their left forearms. "This will be painless," he said nervously, and then he looked over at Lydecker and nodded.
Lydecker looked at Logan and Max. "Do you have anything to say before I pronounce the final judgment of the court?" His voice took on a formal cadence.
Logan never even looked at anyone else; this was the last moment on earth with Max. "I have loved you since the day I first saw you. You are the heart of all things to me. If you go with me, I won't be afraid."
Max looked at Logan. "I think I loved you before I met you. You have been everything to me and are my heart of all things, and if you hold me, we will go together, and I won't be afraid." She looked at Lydecker and nodded.
"The United States government has found you, Logan James Cale and Max Guevara Cale, guilty of the crime of high treason and has sentenced you to death. By the authority vested in me, I will carry out this sentence. May God bless your souls."
Lydecker took the button from the technician. He looked down and nodded in respect one last time at Logan and Max. They took their cue from him. Logan gathered Max into his arms, leaned down, and kissed her with all the love in his heart. She returned the kiss. Lydecker pushed the button. There was a simultaneous pop, and the drug went into their bloodstreams. There was silence in the room except for the sound of two hearts beating in harmony. Then there was nothing.
Together, as they had been promised, Max and Logan Cale went gently into that good night
Lydecker looked up from the two empty shells, crying freely now as he had done so rarely in his life. Ollie and Zack were huddled in each other's arms, crying, yet unable to look at what had been their family. Thomas and James went to the bodies and gently began to move them. Their eyes also filled with tears. The only one unaffected was the technician. "Time of death, 6:24 p.m. May 16, 2068" he said into the recording device.
Lydecker turned on his heel and walked out of the cabin. "They will be buried here, together, with full military honors within the hour. I owe them that," was all he said.
Two hours later, Ollie and Zack came out of her parents' home for the last time, carrying the photo albums and remembrances. Lydecker stopped them. "You know, I've heard Texas isn't half-bad in the spring. This was a part of my promise to your parents. I always keep my promises. I can no longer protect you here." With that, he gave Ollie a box and walked away. She glanced at her car and noted that it was packed, as if for a long trip.
Zack got in the car with his mother. She handed him the box. "Why don't you open it?" she said. Zack opened the box and lifted out an old titanium Mac laptop. There was a note in his grandfather's handwriting, dated ten years ago. "You are going to need this where you are going." There were other things in the box as well: a U.S. passport allowing them free movement across the state borders, a contact number in Texas, and a key to a safe deposit box with a bank account number and a name, Jamison Bling. A note from Donald Lydecker said, "Your best route will be along the Texas- Nebraska border. I will have some contacts there for you. Good luck. Make Max and Logan proud."
Zack looked deeper into the box and found a small jewelry box. He handed it to his mother. She opened the box; there nestled in black velvet was a locket. Ellie picked up the locket and opened it. Inside was a picture of her parents young and full of joy. She held the locket to her heart and remembered what her mother told her. Ellie your father gave this to me the day you were born. I will never take it off until that day I give it to you. When you look at it remember; true love can never be destroyed. Love endures always. Ollie put the locket around her neck. "Yes Mom, love endures." Ollie looked at Zack and saw him cradling an old leather journal. Looking at him with tears bright in her eyes she said. "Looks like that is ready for some new entries."
Zack looked at his mother and began to smile, and she was reminded of her dad. "So you want to take a drive? Seattle is getting boring," she said. She turned the car and headed south.
Lydecker walked over to Thomas and James as they came out of the house. "I understand that Logan Cale always called you Molly Maguires. I don't understand what he saw in you, but he was never wrong about a person. He wanted me to give you these." With that, he handed the two men a small collection of books. "These are rare and restricted books these days, so don't get caught. By the way, you are being reassigned after today to guard duty along the Texas-Nebraska border. You will report in a week." Donald Lydecker got in his car, tapped the driver on the shoulder, and was driven away.
Thomas opened the books and saw Logan's neat handwriting. "I believe in you," was all it said. He looked at the titles: Common Sense and The Rights of Man, by Thomas Paine. There was also a small bound book, The Molly Maguires: A Reflection on Injustice and the Beginning of a Revolutionary Model, " by Logan Cale. "A single man can make a difference, Thomas, remember that."
"Jimmy, so about our new assignment. Texas isn't that far. I'll bet they have a library where we can read." Thomas smiled and began to make plans.
~~~
Max looked over at Logan as he smiled and looked down on his handiwork. "Smart ass," she said. "Always a revolutionary, even when you're dead. Now look what you've done." And there was only love in her voice.
"Hey, I just had some business I had to finish." He smiled in wonder at Max. The years had faded; she was the beautiful nineteen-year-old he had fallen in love with. He stretched, and there were no aches or pains.
Max grinned at Logan. He was standing, free from the infirmities of age, young and strong as she remembered. "Dance with me," she said, and she was in a white strapless gown, her hair up, holding her hand out to Logan.
He held his hand out to her and asked, "Whose dream is this anyway?"
Smiling, he took her in his arms. He began to hear the music. And as it swelled, he looked down at Max. She looked at him and said, "Don't let go."
"I never will."
The music that had been sad the first time they heard it was now a joyous waltz. They swirled and danced into the stars, free from care, with only love and a joy that transcended love. As they danced away from this world into the next, night fell on Seattle, and for some reason there were shooting stars.
The Heart of All Things
Logan awakened to the sound of birds singing. He smiled, thinking how much he enjoyed that sound. He looked over at his sleeping wife and remembered a song from his childhood: I didn't think I would find you perfect in so many ways. He thought. Even after being married for forty years, she was still the most beautiful woman he had every seen. Grinning, he reached over and gently touched the end of her nose. Max reached up and brushed her nose, then snuggled deeper into the down comforter with a contented "Muph." Logan pushed himself up in the bed and contemplated Max. At sixty- eight she was still as perfect as the day she broke into his apartment and stole his heart--the one thing she had never returned. She was frailer; as the years passed, the genetic engineering that made her perfect had begun to take its' toll on her. She was still Max, though, and would kick his ass if he let her sleep. He bent over and, as he had done every day for forty years, kissed Max first on the forehead, then on the cheek, and finally on the lips. "Max, wake up, sweetheart. We're going to have visitors today."
"I was awake." Max's voice in the morning had a husky tone Logan loved. "I was just thinking," she said. Max opened her eyes and looked at her husband. "You are still as beautiful as the day I met you. Age suits you." She stretched carefully and sat up in the bed and smiled her dazzling smile at Logan.
Logan his beautiful smile intact and his eyes crinkled at the corners as he returned, "You too." They looked at each other sharing a lifetime of memories. Logan thought, A thousand years is not long enough to spend with you Max.
Max watched as Logan carefully maneuvered himself into a sitting position. He had fought a long time, but finally age and decreasing strength forced him to have a trapeze installed over the bed so he could help himself get up, the weakness in his legs always threatening to betray him. The wheelchair was there if he needed it, but he ignored as much as he could. As always, he refused to allow Max to help him as he slowly walked to the bathroom. Stubborn, she thought. Age may have decreased his strength but not his will. When did his hair get so white, I wonder? She smiled as she watched her husband do his morning routine. It was Monday, so that meant he would shave. Max loved to watch him putter about in the morning. She had to watch him today of all days. Max sat up and reached over to grab her cane. God, I hate this thing, she thought. As she got out of bed, she reached down and felt the scar on her left hip. I never used to scar. Hell, I never broke a hip before either. She slowly stood up, making sure her feet were planted firmly on the floor. She turned and walked carefully to the bathroom, where she watched her husband take the old brush and shaving soap and begin to lather up his face. After he finished shaving and while he was brushing his teeth, Max mischievously went to the shower and turned it on. As Logan turned toward her, she began to strip off the tee shirt she always slept in. Even at sixty-eight, she was still firm, maybe a few sags, but still beautiful.
Logan smiled delightedly. "Are you trying to seduce me?" he asked, his blue eyes lighting up as only Max could make them.
"Damn straight. You want to take a shower?" Max was in the mood to play.
Logan said, "Come here, you." He walked toward Max and carefully pulled her into a kiss. Together they walked into the shower, and soon after, laughter and giggles followed.
"Logan, hurry up! Ellie and Zack will be here soon and you're fixing us breakfast," Max called from the kitchen. Forty years of being married and I still can't boil water, she thought ruefully.
Logan ambled into the kitchen. He began to take various cooking utensils out of the lower cabinets. "How do blueberry pancakes, eggs, bacon, fresh fruit, and juice sound?" he asked.
"Mummmmmm. Sounds wonderful. Any coffee with that, sir?" Max looked on as Logan effortlessly began to prepare breakfast.
"Coffee? I think I just might be able to arrange that." Logan grinned over at Max. He walked to the kitchen door and pushed a button. He heard the door unlock and he wheeled out onto the porch of the cabin that had been their home and gentle prison for the last ten years. "Hey Tom, were you able to get that coffee I asked for?" Logan called.
Thomas McGuire came out of the very unobtrusive guardhouse that looked like a garage. He was a young man, only twenty-six, and this was his first assignment. He always wondered why the government never allowed anyone to stay with this assignment for more than a year. They were just an old couple placed in prison, after all. How dangerous could they be? It's not even a real prison; this place had belonged to the Cale family. After being here for 6 months, he knew: everyone who came in contact with this couple fell under their spell. When he had been here a year and was preparing to be reassigned, he was asked if he would stay on for another six months. He jumped at the chance. He loved talking to Logan and Max, hearing about things before the U.S. government finally got complete control of the country. Well, except for the Republic of Texas. He smiled at the thought.
"Sure, Mr. Cale, I got just what you wanted, Jamaican Blue Mountain." He walked toward the porch and handed Logan a small bag. The aroma was wonderful. "Mr. Cale, may I ask you a question?" he asked, slightly unsure of what he wanted to say.
Logan looked at him leaned on the porch rail and said, "Sure, but please, I told you to call me Logan."
Thomas smiled. "It wouldn't be respectful, sir." He paused and then continued. "Why do you sometimes call Jimmy and me the Molly Maguires?" Jimmy Thompson was the night guard and usually came on duty about six, but would be here early today. Thomas' smile faltered as he looked at the older man.
Logan smiled broadly. "Tom, I told you; you need to look it up. Reading is good for the soul, you know. If I tell you, it won't mean as much and you won't learn it as well."
"Yeah, but Mr. Cale, you know those books are restricted now. You need to have special clearance to read early American history."
Logan's smile faded, and he looked out past the guardhouse into the morning. When did we lose the battle? When did safety come to mean more than knowledge? When did food become more important than freedom? He looked back at the younger man, and his smile was bittersweet. "Thomas, if you really want to know, you, will seek to learn what this country was before the Pulse. It won't be easy; true freedom never is. I will tell you Molly Maguires saw an injustice and dealt with it in the only way they could. The rest you will have to find yourself. You know, Tom, I'm freer in this prison than you have ever been in your entire life." Logan turned and walked back into the house, leaving Thomas to his thoughts.
A few minutes later, a car rolled up to the guardhouse. It was a new SUV, made with the latest technology, hydrogen power, non-polluting. Cale Industries made the chip that drove the motor. Tom recognized the occupants and let them park. Olivia Max Daniels and Zachary Logan Daniels got out of the car.
Tom stopped them and said, "Are you carrying any contraband materials? You know I have to ask, don't you, Mrs. Daniels?"
"Of course, Tom, I understand. It's your job." Ollie Daniels was a beautiful woman of 35. She got the best of both of her parents. She wasn't very tall; she had the sandy brown hair and smile of Logan, and the intense sloe-eyed beauty of Max. She was also smarter, stronger, and faster than most people. That, however, was something she didn't want the world to know. Zack, her son, looked more like his grandfather. He was a tall, athletic thirteen-year-old. He had Logan's eyes and smile. He also had something special from his grandmother, besides her strength, he had her attitude. He was the apple of his grandparents' eye.
Ollie wished Mike could have been here with her. He had so loved his in- laws. She needed his strength right now. Mike had been dead for eleven years and she still missed him every day. We could have had the kind of love my parents have, she thought.
They walked to the cabin door, and it opened automatically. They heard laughter coming from the kitchen and moved in that direction.
"Hey, Mom, Dad. We're here," Ollie said as she walked into the kitchen. She smiled at her parents, but there was a tremble to her lower lip as she spoke. She watched her parents together and marveled at the serenity emanating from them. They were together at the sink. Max had flour on her face; and Logan was laughing as he sliced fruit into a bowl. They turned and smiled delightedly at their daughter.
"Ollie, come here and give your dad a kiss," Logan commanded. "Where is Zack?"
Ollie walked around the kitchen table, hugged her father hard, and gave him a kiss. She then turned to her mother and hugged and kissed her as well. "Zack is in the living room. He's mad at you and Mom. I'm not mad; I just don't understand why." She couldn't help it. The tears began to course down her cheeks.
Max looked at her daughter. "Ollie, stop it now," she commanded. "We all agreed there would be no tears. This isn't easy for us either, but ten years ago we made a promise, us in exchange for the safety of the rest of the informant net. Max Guevera Cale has never reneged on a promise and I won't start now. It was a good choice. Bling and Molly got out safely with their kids and grandkids to Texas. Zane, Jondy, Krit and Syl all got safe passage as well. We were tired of fighting, Ollie. We wanted a small amount of peace in our lives before we died. We were getting old and no one stepped up and took on the fight. We made a deal and are seeing it through to the end."
Logan chimed in. "Ollie, honey, it wasn't just for the informant net. The car wreck that killed Mike wasn't an accident. You know that in your heart. Aunt Cindy didn't have a heart attack. They were closing in on us. We made a bargain. You and Zack would be safe and protected. Donald Lydecker kept his end of the bargain. We were never separated. We were allowed to come here to a place we both love, and, incidentally, where you were conceived, to live.
We've been taken care of well. The guards have been more like caretakers than guards. We were allowed to have our friends and family visit. We have enough freedom, Ollie. We remember the truth. You have to keep that memory alive, you and Zack."
"You are such liars, both of you. You have never given up the fight - you are just passing on the torch." Zack came into the kitchen, tears in his eyes. "How do you expect us to carry on without the knowing how? That whole story of Eyes Only and the transgenic war are fairy tales now. They never existed. "
"Every fairytale has a grain of truth, Zack. It's like Jack and the Beanstalk. Truth is like those beans, Zack. Watch it grow, and you will never know where it will take you. Now, kiss your grandmother and come over and help me slice the fruit for the compote." Logan looked up at his grandson, and with a twinkle in his eye said, "You know, there was a study done back when I was a kid that showed that a man who knew how to cook was a better lover." Logan smiled up at his grandson and turned to the stove. "Hand me that bowl."
" And if you're the least bit like your grandfather women will be eating out of your hand," Max teased. "Besides who is Kelly Miller?"
Zack flushed the way a thirteen-year-old will do and said, "I don't know what you're talking about." He began to smile through his tears.
"Sure you don't," teased Logan and then he and Max started laughing. Ollie and Zack joined in looking at his family.
The rest of the day was spent reminiscing. Much joy and laughter abounded. Logan and Max told outrageous stories about the people they knew. They looked over photo albums, smiled over good times, and spent the day basking in the love they shared with each other.
"Remember when we used to call you Rollie Pollie Olie?" Max asked.
"Yes, I so hated that!" Ollie exclaimed, "and Dad used to hide Rollie Pollie Olie toys all around the house to embarrass my boyfriends. He made me so mad."
"Hey, they were boys, looking to take my little girl away! Wasn't too keen on that happening. And besides Rollie Pollie Olie was a classic toy!" Logan grinned over at his daughter. He then turned to Max and smiled taking her hand in his.
Ollie looked at her parents and wondered at the love they shared. How could people love each other so much? They went through so much hell and heartache and never did their love falter. She smiled, and in that smile was all the joy and love she could muster.
About 5 p.m. Logan turned to Ollie and Zack. "It's time for you to go. They will be here soon, and we don't want you to have to be here."
"Tough shit, Granddad, I'm not going anywhere. Me and Mom are going to be here and if you don't like it, you can just try to kick my ass." Zack looked like Max at that moment. Logan didn't know what to say.
"Zack is right, Dad. We need to be here to bear witness to you. We won't leave."
Max laughed. "You belong to us, all right, stubborn and pig-headed, definitely Cales. Don't go then, but please promise us that you will remember us, not like tonight, old and frail. Remember us when we were younger and could kick your ass, Olivia Max Daniels and Zachary Logan Daniels."
They sat together in silence and love, holding each other's hands. At 6 p.m. they heard a car pull up. Max stood up and moved closer to Logan; she put her hand on his cheek and kissed him gently lovingly. He returned the kiss and took her hand squeezing it tightly. Ollie and Zack moved to stand next to their parents. The door opened and Thomas and James entered wearing starched dress uniforms, dark eyes full of sorrow. They were the government witnesses.
Donald Lydecker came into the room, followed closely by a man wearing a lab coat and carrying a briefcase. Lydecker was still hale and had an aura of authority even at over ninety. Gene therapy had its usefulness.
Max looked at him. "Deck," she said, "is it time already?"
"Max, Logan..." The words caught in his throat. He cleared and went on. "I have exhausted every available avenue. I can't do anything more." He looked at these two people with whom he shared so much history. "It's time. You're relics, and the government doesn't have time to deal with relics anymore. You are the last of the revolutionaries. The world has passed us by; no one remembers life before the Pulse and the government wants to keep it that way."
"Well, Deck, you always did have a way with the words," Logan said. He swallowed. Now that it was so close, he was afraid. He looked over at his beloved and saw that she was afraid as well. Neither was afraid of death, but of what came after. There was still so much love to give each other. "Deck, your promise? We will go together?"
"Have I ever broken a promise I made to either of you?" Deck's voice was gruff with emotion.
"No, you haven't. Let's get this bitch over with." Max gently moved herself into Logan's strong, encompassing arms.
Ollie came to her mother and father and gave them one last kiss, tears running freely down her face; strength be damned. "You are the best damn revolutionaries God ever created and I will always love you."
Zack came over next and, with tears in his eyes, kissed his grandparents. "I won't forget. I love you, Grampy and Grammy," he said, using words he hadn't used since he was five years old.
Together the child and grandchild of Logan and Max Cale stood at attention to bear witness to the passing of the two most important people in their lives. Tears were streamed freely down their faces
Logan looked at Lydecker. "We're ready," was all he said.
The man in the lab coat came over and gently placed EKG leads on Max and Logan's chests. He then placed a bandage and attached wires to each of their left forearms. "This will be painless," he said nervously, and then he looked over at Lydecker and nodded.
Lydecker looked at Logan and Max. "Do you have anything to say before I pronounce the final judgment of the court?" His voice took on a formal cadence.
Logan never even looked at anyone else; this was the last moment on earth with Max. "I have loved you since the day I first saw you. You are the heart of all things to me. If you go with me, I won't be afraid."
Max looked at Logan. "I think I loved you before I met you. You have been everything to me and are my heart of all things, and if you hold me, we will go together, and I won't be afraid." She looked at Lydecker and nodded.
"The United States government has found you, Logan James Cale and Max Guevara Cale, guilty of the crime of high treason and has sentenced you to death. By the authority vested in me, I will carry out this sentence. May God bless your souls."
Lydecker took the button from the technician. He looked down and nodded in respect one last time at Logan and Max. They took their cue from him. Logan gathered Max into his arms, leaned down, and kissed her with all the love in his heart. She returned the kiss. Lydecker pushed the button. There was a simultaneous pop, and the drug went into their bloodstreams. There was silence in the room except for the sound of two hearts beating in harmony. Then there was nothing.
Together, as they had been promised, Max and Logan Cale went gently into that good night
Lydecker looked up from the two empty shells, crying freely now as he had done so rarely in his life. Ollie and Zack were huddled in each other's arms, crying, yet unable to look at what had been their family. Thomas and James went to the bodies and gently began to move them. Their eyes also filled with tears. The only one unaffected was the technician. "Time of death, 6:24 p.m. May 16, 2068" he said into the recording device.
Lydecker turned on his heel and walked out of the cabin. "They will be buried here, together, with full military honors within the hour. I owe them that," was all he said.
Two hours later, Ollie and Zack came out of her parents' home for the last time, carrying the photo albums and remembrances. Lydecker stopped them. "You know, I've heard Texas isn't half-bad in the spring. This was a part of my promise to your parents. I always keep my promises. I can no longer protect you here." With that, he gave Ollie a box and walked away. She glanced at her car and noted that it was packed, as if for a long trip.
Zack got in the car with his mother. She handed him the box. "Why don't you open it?" she said. Zack opened the box and lifted out an old titanium Mac laptop. There was a note in his grandfather's handwriting, dated ten years ago. "You are going to need this where you are going." There were other things in the box as well: a U.S. passport allowing them free movement across the state borders, a contact number in Texas, and a key to a safe deposit box with a bank account number and a name, Jamison Bling. A note from Donald Lydecker said, "Your best route will be along the Texas- Nebraska border. I will have some contacts there for you. Good luck. Make Max and Logan proud."
Zack looked deeper into the box and found a small jewelry box. He handed it to his mother. She opened the box; there nestled in black velvet was a locket. Ellie picked up the locket and opened it. Inside was a picture of her parents young and full of joy. She held the locket to her heart and remembered what her mother told her. Ellie your father gave this to me the day you were born. I will never take it off until that day I give it to you. When you look at it remember; true love can never be destroyed. Love endures always. Ollie put the locket around her neck. "Yes Mom, love endures." Ollie looked at Zack and saw him cradling an old leather journal. Looking at him with tears bright in her eyes she said. "Looks like that is ready for some new entries."
Zack looked at his mother and began to smile, and she was reminded of her dad. "So you want to take a drive? Seattle is getting boring," she said. She turned the car and headed south.
Lydecker walked over to Thomas and James as they came out of the house. "I understand that Logan Cale always called you Molly Maguires. I don't understand what he saw in you, but he was never wrong about a person. He wanted me to give you these." With that, he handed the two men a small collection of books. "These are rare and restricted books these days, so don't get caught. By the way, you are being reassigned after today to guard duty along the Texas-Nebraska border. You will report in a week." Donald Lydecker got in his car, tapped the driver on the shoulder, and was driven away.
Thomas opened the books and saw Logan's neat handwriting. "I believe in you," was all it said. He looked at the titles: Common Sense and The Rights of Man, by Thomas Paine. There was also a small bound book, The Molly Maguires: A Reflection on Injustice and the Beginning of a Revolutionary Model, " by Logan Cale. "A single man can make a difference, Thomas, remember that."
"Jimmy, so about our new assignment. Texas isn't that far. I'll bet they have a library where we can read." Thomas smiled and began to make plans.
~~~
Max looked over at Logan as he smiled and looked down on his handiwork. "Smart ass," she said. "Always a revolutionary, even when you're dead. Now look what you've done." And there was only love in her voice.
"Hey, I just had some business I had to finish." He smiled in wonder at Max. The years had faded; she was the beautiful nineteen-year-old he had fallen in love with. He stretched, and there were no aches or pains.
Max grinned at Logan. He was standing, free from the infirmities of age, young and strong as she remembered. "Dance with me," she said, and she was in a white strapless gown, her hair up, holding her hand out to Logan.
He held his hand out to her and asked, "Whose dream is this anyway?"
Smiling, he took her in his arms. He began to hear the music. And as it swelled, he looked down at Max. She looked at him and said, "Don't let go."
"I never will."
The music that had been sad the first time they heard it was now a joyous waltz. They swirled and danced into the stars, free from care, with only love and a joy that transcended love. As they danced away from this world into the next, night fell on Seattle, and for some reason there were shooting stars.